Hair curler device

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides, in at least one embodiment, a customized hair curler with a barrel, and a handle that fits multiple types of barrels, the barrels being detachable and attachable. The handle has a release latch that allows a quick and simple detachment of the barrel from the handle, and a rotation switch for bidirectional rotation of the barrel with respect to the handle. The hair curler also has a heater and a user control interface for precise temperature control of the heater.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates generally to hair styling, and more specifically, to an improved hair curler device.

2. Description of Related Art

A hair iron, also known as a hair tong, is a tool used to change the structure of the hair using electric heat. There are three general kinds of hair irons: a curling iron (also known as a hair curler), a straightening iron (also called a straightener or a flat iron), and a crimping iron. The hair curler makes the hair curly, the straightening iron straightens the hair, and the crimping iron creates crimps of a desired size in the hair.

Hair curlers create waves or curls in the hair. There are several types of modern hair curlers, which can have different barrel materials, diameters, shapes, and different types of handles. Hair curlers are typically made of Teflon, ceramic, tourmaline, metal, or titanium. The diameter often varies between 0.5 and 2 inches, where a small diameter creates spiral curls, and a large diameter gives a hairstyle shape and volume. The barrel's shape can be a cylinder, cone, or reverse cone, and the hair curler can have brush attachments.

To use a hair curler, a user inserts the hair, twists her wrists to the roll the hair curlers left (i.e., counter clockwise) and right (i.e., clockwise), allowing the hair curler to remain in place for a desired period of time to achieve a desired curl. The hotter the hair curler, the faster it works, but the greater the chance of damage to the user's skin or hair.

Measures have been taken to make hair curling safer, faster, and more flexible. For example, many hair curlers have a non-metal tip that is cooler and reduces skin burns. Also, other hair curlers have more than one temperature setting for faster results. Also, different hair curlers come in multiple sizes for producing different sized curls.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,962,159 describes a hair styler for curling hair. The hair styler has a cone mounted on a hand held motor. The cone has an open slot for receiving a lock of hair. The motor rotates the cone forming a roll of hair. The cone is then separated from the roll of hair and then the roll of hair is secured in place by a pin. U.S. Pat. No. 2,586,103 describes an electrically operated hair curler with an electric motor attached to a hair curling spindle, the spindle having a slot for inserting a strand of hair and the electric motor rotates the spindle. AbsolutelyNew and U.S. Pat. No. D455,860 describe and illustrate a self-rolling curling iron with a barrel that rotates by the push of a button. GadgetTown has a digital temperature control ceramic hair curler, HK-H00076, with digitally controlled heating and variable temperature settings between 176° F.-356° F. Conventional hair curlers lack many useful features that improve the hair curling experience, such as a simple barrel detachment mechanism and a bidirectional rotating barrel with precision heating, among other features.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes these and other disadvantages of the prior art by providing, in at least one embodiment, a customized hair curler with a barrel, and a handle that fits multiple types of barrels, the barrels being detachable and attachable. The handle has a release latch that allows a quick and simple detachment of the barrel from the handle, and a rotation switch for bidirectional rotation of the barrel with respect to the handle. The hair curler also has a heater and a user control interface for precise temperature control of the heater.

In an embodiment of the invention, a hair curler device comprises: a barrel comprising a heating element, wherein the heating element is capable of heating the barrel to a desired temperature; and a handle configured to detachably couple to the barrel, and further comprising: a user control interface, wherein the user control interface is configured to change a temperature of the barrel to two or more temperatures; a rotation switch, wherein activation of the rotation switch in one position rotates the barrel clockwise and activation of the rotation switch in another position rotates the barrel counter clockwise. The heating element may be disposed internally within the barrel. The barrel may comprise a slot configured to receive hair. The slot transverses the barrel from a tip of the barrel to an end with a prong. The user control interface may comprise a decrease temperature button, an increase temperature button, may be configured to change the temperature of the barrel to three or more temperatures, and may have a display. The handle may comprise a swivel allowing a power cord to rotate. The barrel may comprise a prong for receiving electrical signals to power the heating element.

In another embodiment of the invention, a barrel comprises: a handle end, the handle end configured to detachably couple to a handle; a tip end, the tip end comprises a slot configured to receive hair; and a heating element, wherein the heating element is capable of heating the barrel to two or more desired temperatures. The heating element may be disposed internally within the barrel. The slot transverses the barrel from the tip end to the handle end. The barrel may comprise a prong for receiving electrical signals to power the heating element. The heating element may be configured to receive electrical signals to decrease temperature, increase temperature, and to change the temperature of the barrel to three or more temperatures.

Embodiments of the present invention have several advantages over existing technology. For example, the hair curler provides the user (e.g., a person curling her own hair, an acquaintance curling the hair, a hair styling professional, etc.) more control in curling hair. A detachable barrel allows the user flexibility to customize the barrel size and type that best suits the hair, whether it is long, medium, or short (e.g., after a haircut) and style that the user is looking for (e.g., a particular curl size or wave, hair style that the user desires that day, etc.). The detachable barrel also allows replacing a defective barrel (e.g., broken, ineffective, etc.), upgrading to a better barrel (e.g., newer, higher quality, different brand, etc.), and sharing barrels (e.g., among housemates). Controlled bidirectional rotation makes it faster and easier for the user to curl the hair in both directions. Precise temperature control allows the user to select a temperature that best suits the hair style, the amount of time that the user allots to curling the hair, and her concern towards skin burns. This additional control can save the user time, provide more safety, reduce effort, result in a better hair style, and provide more consistent results.

The foregoing, and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, the accompanying drawings, and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the ensuing descriptions taken in connection with the accompanying drawings briefly described as follows:

FIGS. 1-2 illustrate top plan and perspective views of a hair curler device according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 3-6 illustrate top plan and perspective views of barrels for attachment to the hair curler of FIGS. 1-2 according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 7-8 illustrate top plan and side elevation views of a hair curler device according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 9-12 illustrate perspective, side elevation, top plan, and bottom plan views of a hair curler device according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 13-19 illustrate side elevation, top plan, and bottom plan views of the inside of a hair curler device according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 20 illustrates a perspective view of a hair curler device according to an embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 21 illustrates a flow chart showing a process of curling hair according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Further features and advantages of the invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying FIGS. 1-21, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements. Although embodiments of the invention are described in the context of curling hair, one of ordinary skill in the art readily appreciates that the present invention is applicable to other types of hair irons, such as a straightening iron or a crimping iron.

The present invention provides, in at least one embodiment, a customized hair curler with a barrel, and a handle that fits multiple types of barrels, the barrels being detachable and attachable. The handle has a release latch that allows a quick and simple detachment of the barrel from the handle, and a rotation switch for bidirectional rotation of the barrel with respect to the handle. The hair curler also has a heater and a user control interface for precise temperature control of the heater.

FIGS. 1-2 illustrate top plan and perspective views of a hair curler device 100 according to an embodiment of the invention. The hair curler device 100 includes a handle 105 and a barrel 155. The handle 105 includes a rotation switch 110, a release latch 115, a user control interface 120, a display 125, an increase temperature button 130, a decrease temperature button 135, a power button 140, and a power cord 145. The barrel 155 is detachable and attachable, and has a tip 150 with a slot 152 through the tip 150, the slot 152 configured to receive hair in the barrel 155.

The hair curler device 100 (e.g., device, hair curler, etc.) curls and styles hair with the detachable barrel 155, has controlled bidirectional rotation from the rotation switch 110, and has precise temperature control from the increase and decrease temperature buttons 130, 135, which saves the user time and effort, and improves safety, results, and consistency. The handle 105 provides a grip for a user to hold and maneuver the hair curler device 100 through the hair. In one embodiment, the handle 105 is eight inches in length and the barrel 155 is four inches in length. The rotation switch 110 (e.g., spin button, direction switch, swing switch, etc.), attached to the handle 105, has a neutral setting, a left setting, and a right setting for the rotation of the barrel 155. When the rotation switch 110 is in the neutral setting, the barrel 155 does not rotate. When the rotation switch 110 is in the left setting, the barrel 155 rotates counter clockwise. When the rotation switch 110 is in the right setting, the barrel 155 rotates clockwise. The release latch 115, attached to the handle 105, can be activated to detach the barrel 155 from the handle 105.

The user control interface 120 (e.g., digital control interface) has the display 125, the increase and decrease temperature buttons 130, 135, powers up the hair curler device 100, and allows selection of a specific temperature. The display 125, e.g., light-emitting diode (LED) display, shows the temperature of hair curler device 100. In one embodiment, the temperature is measured from a temperature sensing element within the hair curler device 100. The increase temperature button 130 raises the temperature of the hair curler device 100 and the decrease temperature button 135 lowers the temperature of the hair curler device 100 (e.g., in increments of 1° F.). The power button 140 (e.g., on/off button) turns the hair curler device 100 on and off when the power cord 145 (e.g., electrical power, swivel power cord, etc.) is connected to an outlet.

The barrel 155 (e.g., small barrel, attachment, detachable rotation fitting, tongs, plates, etc.) is small and produces small-sized curls. The slot 152 in the barrel 155 receives the hair and the barrel 155 rotates clockwise and counter clockwise with respect to the handle 105. In one embodiment, the barrel 155 has heaters (e.g., heating elements) inside, where the heaters are positioned to contact the hair from both sides (e.g., within the slot 152, between the barrel 155, etc.). The heaters can be any type of heater, e.g., positive temperature coefficient (PTC), negative temperature coefficient (NTC), ceramic, etc. PTC heaters are formed from heating elements (e.g., round or rectangular ceramic stones), and are high quality heaters with fast heating times to a desired temperature. In one embodiment, the heat varies between 220° F. and 430° F. The tip 150 (e.g., cool tip) prevents some of the heat from reaching the end of the hair curler device 100 and burning the user, and gives the user something to hold onto or touch when needed. The tip 150 can be made from a material (e.g., plastic, aluminum, etc.) that dissipates heat from the barrel 155.

FIGS. 3-6 illustrate top plan and perspective views of barrels 360, 565, for attachment to the hair curler device 100 of FIGS. 1-2. The barrel 360 is medium-sized with an average thickness, diameter, and circumference for producing medium-sized curls, compared to the barrel 155 which is smaller and thinner, and produces small curls. The barrel 565 is large with a large thickness, diameter, and circumference for producing large-sized curls, larger than the curls produced by the barrel 360 and the barrel 155. A thicker barrel has a larger circumference, with the larger circumference producing a larger curl. In one embodiment, the barrel is selected based on a desired circumference size for producing a curl. In other embodiments, the barrel is selected based on another desired quality (e.g., different length, heater, manufacturer, quality, etc.) or selected as a replacement (e.g., for a broken or ineffective barrel).

Barrels 360, 565 have four prongs 370 (e.g., forks) for attaching to the handle 105. The prongs 370 provide a secure attachment for rotating the barrels 360, 565, clockwise and counter clockwise. The prongs 370 also transfer electric signals (e.g., temperature commands) from the handle 105 to the barrels 360, 565. In one embodiment, the prongs 370 are designed to transfer a signal to a PTC heater and an NTC heater in the barrels 360, 565. In one embodiment, the prongs 370 are ceramic. In another embodiment, the prongs 370 are aluminum covered with ceramic paint.

FIGS. 7-8 illustrate top plan and side elevation views of a hair curler device 700 according to an embodiment of the invention. Like the hair curler device 100, the hair curler device 700 includes a handle 705 and a barrel 755. The handle 705 includes a rotation switch 710, a release latch 715, a user control interface 720, a display 725, an increase temperature button 730, a decrease temperature button 735, a power button 740, and a power cord 745. The barrel 755 is detachable and attachable, and has a tip 750. Unlike the rotation switch 110, the rotation switch 710 does not have an enclosing surface and has letters orthogonal to the handle 705. Unlike the user control interface 120, the user control interface 720 has a circular design with the decrease temperature button 735 closest to the power cord 745.

FIGS. 9-12 illustrate perspective, side elevation, top plan, and bottom plan views of a hair curler device 900 according to an embodiment of the invention. Like the hair curler devices 100, 700, the hair curler device 900 includes a handle 905 and one of the barrels 955-965. The handle 905 includes a rotation switch 910, a release latch 915, a user control interface 920, a display 925, an increase temperature button 930, a decrease temperature button 935, a power button 940, and a power cord 945. The barrels 955-965 are detachable and attachable, have a tip 950, and have four prongs 970.

The handle 905 is illustrated as being detached from the barrels 955-965, although at most one of the three barrels 955-965 could have been illustrated as being attached. Unlike the user control interface 120, the user control interface 920 has a rectangular design. FIG. 12 illustrates a certification label 1275 (e.g., certification mark) indicating that the hair curler device 900 meets the quality criteria set out by a company. Examples of certification labels include the Underwriters Laboratories (with a label of UL) and ETL Semko (with labels of S and ETL). These labels designate that the electrical product meets the company's safety criteria.

FIGS. 13-19 illustrate side elevation, top plan, and bottom plan views of the inside of a hair curler device 1300 according to an embodiment of the invention. Like the hair curler devices 100, 700, 900, the hair curler device 1300 includes a handle 1305 and barrels 1455, 1660, 1865, each with four prongs 1470 and two heaters 1490. The handle 1305 includes a rotation switch 1310, a release latch 1315, and a power cord 1345. The handle 1305 also includes a rotation base 1380, a shaft 1382, a motor 1384, a swivel 1386, and a circuit board 1388. The motor 1384, together with the rotation base 1380 and the shaft 1382, rotates the barrels 1455, 1660, 1865, clockwise and counter clockwise. The swivel 1386 is attached to the power cord 1345 and allows the handle 1305 to rotate with respect to the power cord 1345, reducing twists in the power cord 1345. The circuit board provides electronics, such as a processor, for operating the hair curler device 1300.

FIG. 20 illustrates a perspective view of a hair curler device 2000 according to an embodiment of the invention. The hair curler device 2000 has a handle 2005 and a barrel 2055. The barrel 2055 is not detachable from the handle 2005. As such, the handle does not have a latch (e.g., release latch 115). Like the hair curler devices 100, 700, 900, 1300, the handle 2005 includes a rotation switch 2010, a user control interface 2020, a display 2025, an increase temperature button 2030, a decrease temperature button 2035, a power button 2040, and a power cord 2045.

FIG. 21 illustrates a flow chart showing a process of curling hair according to an embodiment of the invention. The process starts at step 2100. At step 2110, a user selects a barrel to put on a handle of device, such as the hair curler device 100. The user can select one barrel at a time from barrels 155, 360, 565. Then, at step 2120, the user turns on the device 100 using the power button 140. Next, the user sets the temperature at step 2130 using the increase temperature button 130 and the decrease temperature button 135. The temperature is displayed on the display 125. Proceeding to step 2140, the user puts the hair in the barrel 155. At step 2150, the user selects a direction on the rotation switch 110 and curls the hair. The process ends at step 2160.

It is to be recognized that depending on the embodiment, certain acts or events of any of the methods described herein can be performed in a different sequence, may be added, merged, or left out altogether (for example, not all described acts or events are necessary for the practice of the method). Moreover, in certain embodiments, acts or events may be performed concurrently, for example, through multi-threaded processing, interrupt processing, or multiple processors, rather than sequentially.

The steps of a method or algorithm described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied directly in a computer or electronic storage, in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in a combination thereof. A software module may reside in a computer storage such as in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor such that the processor can read information from, and write information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium may be integral to the processor. The processor and the storage medium may reside in an ASIC.

The invention has been described herein using specific embodiments for the purposes of illustration only. It will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, however, that the principles of the invention can be embodied in other ways. Therefore, the invention should not be regarded as being limited in scope to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but instead as being fully commensurate in scope with the following claims. 

1. A hair curler device comprising: a barrel comprising a heating element, wherein the heating element is capable of heating the barrel to a desired temperature; and a handle configured to detachably couple to the barrel, and further comprising: a user control interface, wherein the user control interface is configured to change a temperature of the barrel to two or more temperatures; a rotation switch, wherein activation of the rotation switch in one position rotates the barrel clockwise and activation of the rotation switch in another position rotates the barrel counter clockwise.
 2. The hair curler device of claim 1, wherein the heating element is disposed internally within the barrel.
 3. The hair curler device of claim 1, wherein the barrel comprises a slot configured to receive hair.
 4. The hair curler device of claim 3, wherein the slot transverses the barrel from a tip of the barrel to an end with a prong.
 5. The hair curler device of claim 1, wherein the user control interface comprises a decrease temperature button.
 6. The hair curler device of claim 5, wherein the user control interface comprises an increase temperature button.
 7. The hair curler device of claim 1, wherein the user control interface is configured to change the temperature of the barrel to three or more temperatures.
 8. The hair curler device of claim 1, wherein the user control interface has a display.
 9. The hair curler device of claim 1, wherein the handle comprises a swivel allowing a power cord to rotate.
 10. The hair curler device of claim 1, wherein the barrel comprises a prong for receiving electrical signals to power the heating element.
 11. A barrel comprising: a handle end, the handle end configured to detachably couple to a handle; a tip end, the tip end comprising a slot configured to receive hair; and a heating element, wherein the heating element is capable of heating the barrel to two or more desired temperatures.
 12. The barrel of claim 11, wherein the heating element is disposed internally within the barrel.
 13. The barrel of claim 11, wherein the slot transverses the barrel from the tip end to the handle end.
 14. The barrel of claim 11, wherein the barrel comprises a prong for receiving electrical signals to power the heating element.
 15. The barrel of claim 11, wherein the heating element is configured to receive electrical signals decreasing temperature.
 16. The barrel of claim 15, wherein the heating element is configured to receive electrical signals increasing temperature.
 17. The barrel of claim 11, wherein the heating element is configured to receive electrical signals to change the temperature of the barrel to three or more temperatures. 